What are systems and are they important to the owner builder?

Good question, glad I asked it …..

All successful businesses have one thing in common, systems.

Now the complexity of the system and how formalised they appear will depend largely on the size and structure of the business, nevertheless, systems are vital to maintaining order and acheiving business goals.

So what are systems and how do they affect owner builders?

Over the last couple of days, I have spent a great deal of time considering just what it is I do to assist owner builders to manage their project, what is the single greatest contribution I have made to making their life easier.

Simple, it is the systems I have developed over the last few years that provide the owner builder the opportunity to turn their dreams into reality.

OK, enough of  the soap box, self addulation and promoting, lets talk about systems.

Systems are all about being able to efficiently reproduce an outcome by following steps or procedures which are both tested and proven.

A system may be as simple as a series of checklists, a task register (to do list) or as complex as an operations manual for running an airline, the common theme will be that the system is designed to produce an outcome regardless of who is completing the task.

For an owner builder, the first look over a project may be extremely daunting and even in some case appear impossible to acheive given the complexity and diversity of the tasks required.

That is where working to a system is invaluable.

Couple a sound system to good and appropriate education and you have the makings of a great project with an almost guaranteed outcome.

Now, this is the crunch, it is no use whatsoever, having a great system in place, having appropriate knowledge and training on how to use the system if you do not use it.

I cannot begin to tell you how many businesses I have seen over the years that have great operating and administrative systems or procedures in place that have failed simply because they have not followed their own business systems.

Sounds crazy I know, but believe me it happens.

So why does it  happen?

What leads an organisation down the path of devoting considerable resources to devloping good systems and then either not use them at all or not use them to their fullest potential.

Again the answer is quite obvious, they lack discipline.

Now this is the same discipline you need to show when you are running your owner builder project.

I can give you all the tools, training, skill sets and kowledge to complete the task.

I can give you systems which will record and monitor the progress of your construction.

I can give you tools to efficiently run a tendering process and I can give you the tools and skills to administer each of the onsite and offsite functions required on a domestic construction project.

They all exist, they are built and off the shelf products that you can have.

The question is will you use them?

Will you remain disciplined to the task?

I have seen a woman take a vacant block of land in Brisbane and 12 weeks later move into her new two storey 220 square meter home.

Not bad hey?

This is an exceptional result, and even better than most I have seen.

But it proves it can be done.

Now I know she had good training and I know she was disciplined and I am willing to bet she had her own good system in place to keep track of the construction activities.

I said it before and I will say it again, it is all very well to have registers, schedules, form letters, contracts filing systems, financial controls and specifications built into your system, but if you dont use them they just cannot work.

There is a risk management model that is cross industry and expresses exactly how you should use any system you have in place to help you run your owner builder project:

• Identify
• Assess
• Decide
• Implement
• Monitor and Review

Think about it this is the basis of not only developing a good system but also how to operate it.

Test it against the next task you undertake.

Identify what needs to be done ….

Assess what it is you are trying to acheive, what is the outcome you want or expect

Decide on a course of action

Do what you have decided to do

Sit back take a good objective look at how successful or appropriate your actions were, do it during and after the process, be prepared to change your approach if you need to to get the outcome you want.

Use your systems well they are the path to success.

Couple this to quality training and support and you are on your way to completing your owner builder project on time, on budget and to the quality you expect.

You can always get more information on owner building, the education and assistance that is available by visiting our website www.ownerbuildercourses.com

Technorati Tags: owner builder, owner builder courses, systems for owner builders